title: Alpha-blockers for the treatment of chronic prostatitis in combination with antibiotics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was undertaken to evaluate the immediate and long-term effects of the combination of alpha-blockers and antibiotics in the treatment of chronic prostatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients eligible for study were assigned to 3 groups: group 1--nonprostatodynia, abacterial prostatitis (134), group 2--prostatodynia (72) and group 3--chronic bacterial prostatitis (64). alpha-Blockers were administered to all patients of groups 1 and 2 with demonstrable high maximal urethral closure pressure and typical clinical complaints irrespective of the presence of inflammatory findings in expressed prostatic secretion. alpha-Blockers were given to 50% of patients with bacterial prostatitis. Antibiotics were administered to all patients with positive expressed prostatic secretion cultures, and in half of those with abacterial prostatitis and inflammatory expressed prostatic secretion. Mean followup was 22 months (range 6 months to 3 years). The sign 1-tailed test was used for statistical analysis of data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The recurrence rate of bacterial prostatitis was significantly reduced by alpha-blockade (expressed prostatic secretion culture negative) and symptom relief was achieved for many months. For abacterial prostatitis statistical analysis revealed a lower symptom recurrence rate in patients receiving only alpha-blockers in comparison with those treated with a combination of alpha-blockers and antibiotics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of alpha-blockers is justified, not only for prostatodynia, but also for abacterial and bacterial prostatitis. In the latter case alpha-blockade not only caused enhanced clinical improvement but also reduced the recurrences as defined by expressed prostatic secretion positive segmental cultures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Patras School of Medicine, Greece.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Barbalias
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nikiforidis
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Liatsikos
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents